Eulogy to Uley

I've written this 'almost sonnet' for the Uley Village Show, in the hopes that it might flatter the judges into giving me a good placing!

Nestled in a valley, between two ancient towns,

Lies a sleepy old village cars pass through too fast,

Residents give thanks that the ups and the downs

Of its once busy wool trade lie far in the past.

Its gently rolling hillsides, flanked by trees

Lure walkers with footpaths, through woods, across streams,

The climb up the Bury makes the others a breeze,

The view always worth it, the stuff of dreams.

The heart of the village is a true wonderland,

The houses glow golden, whether brick-built or stone,

A medley of shapes, from the small to the grand,

Stone walls bulge proudly as if pregnant, overblown.

With a shop, doctors, brewery, Old Crown pub,

Café, church, school, Prema centre for the arts,

There's a lot going on in a wide range of clubs,

With the village hall sited at the community's heart.

And despite being built on a wearisome hill

Steep for old bones, Uley has our love still.

Everyday Poetry